In happier times, after scoring the winner against Derby

On Saturday, Keogh came on for Fletcher only to be pulled off again with a few minutes left. Swapping a defender for a forward at a critical time seems fair, but this will have done nothing for Keogh’s confidence – nor will the crowd’s reaction to his exit. The switch, however, was justified if only on the basis of his clear lack of ability to focus, given the slender lead, on keeping the ball away from the Stoke players. Even without this he had failed to have any real impact (positive that is) on the game. This is pretty much where he left off last season.

Mick McCarthy signalled before the start of the season that Keogh was likely to be in a group of players who could find themselves surplus to requirements when the squad of 25 is announced at the end of the month (story on official site). He may have had time, and probably enough ability, to rehabilitate himself before that deadline, but that looks unlikely after Saturday. In stark contrast to Halford, the man who replaced him on Saturday, Keogh looks to have taken McCarthy’s comments as a death sentence rather than a challenge.

Keogh has had some great moments, as well as some lows, at Wolves and has shown time and again his willingness to run himself into the ground for the team. At times he has shown intelligent play, but after Saturday I find myself writing in the past tense. Keogh has always seemed, in a slightly patchy Wolves career, to be a confidence player, but increasingly tends to play like a no-confidence player. Without confidence his intelligence, and even his previously undoubted application, seem to evaporate, and without intelligence and application to counterbalance his undoubted tendency to panic in front of goal, Keogh can have no place even as a fourth-choice striker. It looks likely to be a long hard struggle to regain that confidence at Wolves – time that no one has – but a fresh start at a new club could be what’s needed to reawaken the Keogh of old.

That is why I won’t be surprised to see Keogh make a fresh start and carving out a creditable career at a good Championship side. It’s beginning to look like he owes a change to himself as well as to us.

For everyone’s sake lets hope for a decent offer from somewhere, and a decent replacement.

City went one up after 15 minutes and dominated the first half. Wolves should have been happy to go in only one goal down at the break, despite only being denied a goal by a stunning save by Given from Matthew Jarvis. City monopolized possession but froze in front of goal on several key occassions and Wolves really came into the game in the second half. Doyle and Elokobi came on at half time and both did well. Keogh saw a shot rebound off the crossbar for the second game in a row and City certainly finished the more nervous. Well done Wolves – keep this up and we should get the results against teams costing less than £x hundred million.

Man City certainly had a line up that had the commentators salivating so hard that I had to wring myself out at half time. Favourite moment: listening to them congratulating Shaun Wright-Phillips for falling over in front of Stearman in the 93rd minute, thus preventing him from getting his header on target. It’s not all about height apparently – lying on the floor is also a sign of talent if you cost £10 million.

And finally, I’m thrilled to announce that the ever-delightful Craig Bellamy played like crap.

Despite a squad of shreds and patches Wolves could, probably should, have had more. Keogh signalled their intent, hitting the crossbar in only the third minute. Within eight he had the ball in the back of the net with a sound header from Milijas’s free kick. Then in the second half he had a clear penalty call turned down, and continued to make all the running. It’s hard to believe this is the same Keogh who, although he never lacked enthusiasm, spent large portions of last season looking like a scarecrow caught in the headlights. Special mention also to Henry for another solid performance, and to Edwards, who has never been a regular starter but came in today and put in a good shift in the run-until-you-drop mould, also delivering a few good attacking passes.

Wigan did finally manage to pull things together into the second half after Jason Scotland came on and did have their own, slightly less definitive, penalty shouts waved away. Still, Wolves organised soundly, and held on for the win.

Milijas again put in a commanding, if slightly less spectacular, performance and the defence are to be congratulated for doing well with what resources they have!

Roll on Saturday. Mick McCarthy will have an interesting headache deciding who to leave out if Doyle is fit by then.